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ISLAMABAD, June 23: Newly-elected Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf allocated on Saturday portfolios to members of his cabinet, but the list of ministers did not include the name of Dr Asim Hussain who was minister for petroleum in the Gilani government.

However, his ministry has not been given to anyone.

Most of the ministers and ministers of state have been given the portfolios they were holding in the cabinet of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi retained the status of Senior Minister and was given the Ministry of Defence Production and Industries. Except for him, no PML-Q parliamentarian took oath as member of the new cabinet on Friday.

The party leadership reportedly presented a list of demands to President Asif Ali Zardari and sought his assurance before allowing its other parliamentarians to take oath. The PML-Q leadership had developed differences with former prime minister Gilani for not releasing funds to its parliamentarians. This time it wanted an assurance that Mr Ashraf would not follow his predecessor in this regard.

Rehman Malik will continue to be Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Affairs. All other advisers have also been allocated the same slots.

President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Dr Asim had been made Adviser to the PM on Petroleum. He also said the advisers were not required to take oath and all of them had been retained.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Asim confirmed that he had been made adviser to the prime minister, but said he would soon take oath as minister for petroleum.